UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an individual international consultant to provide support to the COVID-19 WASH/IPC Technical Guidance Review and Revision

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, quality WASH!

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights.

Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

For more information about UNICEF Zimbabwe please click here

You can also access and explore all new UNICEF vacancies and create job alerts via the UNICEF Zimbabwe website link below:

https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/work-us

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to hire an enthusiastic individual consultant to support of the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), review and revise all Government of Zimbabwe COVID-19 related IPC technical protocols, guidance and training, focused on strengthening WASH aspects of the IPC. The work will be focused primarily on improving WASH services in health care facilities (HCF) and also review the package of materials for schools and points of entry, ensuring that the latter are aligned with the broader health guidance. New materials may need to be developed for HCF while any work done on school guidance will only be revisions of existing materials and recommendations for any additional materials for school and POE guidance. Recommendations will also be provided for audio/visual complementary guidance where needed for HCF. All existing materials will be provided by the Government and UNICEF.

Background

The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought global recognition of the critical role of infection prevention and control (IPC) services, particularly water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in reducing community transmission, preventing other infectious diseases and ensuring continuity of essential health services for women and children. As of 12 January, 2022, Zimbabwe has recorded 224,433 confirmed cases and over 5,215 deaths, among them over 8,620 health workers have been tested positive for COVID-19 as of 7 January 2022 with 62 reported deaths. In order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe a multisectoral response is required with water, sanitation and hygiene interventions being central to the prevention and mitigation of Covid-19 outbreaks in communities and health care facilities.

Despite the broad acknowledgement of the criticality of WASH for sustaining health services, recent assessments of hospitals and clinics in Zimbabwe demonstrate serious deficiencies5. A situation analysis of WASH in Health Care Facilities (HCFs) reveals that people are being served by health facilities where water and sanitation infrastructure is typically old, poorly maintained and often in disrepair to the extent that quality of care delivery is being compromised. The UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report6 highlights that while 81% of the HFCs in Zimbabwe have access to a basic water service, only 17% have access to basic sanitation services. It also shows that 58% of facilities have basic hand hygiene facilities and 55% of facilities have basic waste management services. The current evidence, along with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, indicates that there is a pressing need to improve WASH conditions in HCFs alongside measures for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC).

To address these critical gaps and mitigate and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Zimbabwe, UNICEF has supported IPC and WASH at HCFs in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and NGO partners with the following interventions to date: i) IPC training; ii) provision of WASH/IPC supplies; iii) WASH assessments; and iv) minor WASH infrastructure rehabilitation work in health facilities. In 2022, a more significant package will be supported, including improved guidance for WASH in health care facilities. A critical piece of support is comprehensive guidance and tools for non-clinical HCF staff to manage and provide adequate WASH services.

Field assessments suggest that existing IPC guidance training for non-clinical HCF staff (i.e. cleaners and environmental health staff) may require strengthening in order to better manage the WASH services required by clinicians (i.e. management of water supply and waste management, minor sanitation repairs, adherence to cleaning and disinfection protocols, etc). In addition to strengthening WASH within current IPC guidance and training materials, efforts are required to continue training and mentorship for non-clinical and clinical HCF staff.

Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ), primarily the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), to

• Review all COVID-related water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)-infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols, guidelines, training and related materials for health facilities, points of entry (POEs) and schools.
• Revise to strengthen WASH components of the existing IPC materials as needed, produce any additional written materials required (including scripts for multi-media resources) and provide recommendations for additional multi-media resources.
• Train Master Trainers to deliver the revised WASH/IPC training.

This technical assistance (TA) to the GoZ will improve IPC of COVID-19 and other illnesses in health facilities, schools and communities by ensuring comprehensive guidance and resource materials.

The Consultant will also provide a WASH/IPC capacity building activity for UNICEF WASH Staff and a small number of selected others.

ASSIGNMENT

In support of the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), the consultant will review and revise all Government of Zimbabwe COVID-19 related IPC technical protocols, guidance and training, focused on strengthening WASH aspects of the IPC. The work will be focused primarily on improving WASH services in health care facilities (HCF) and also review the package of materials for schools and points of entry, ensuring that the latter are aligned with the broader health guidance. New materials may need to be developed for HCF while any work done on school guidance will only be revisions of existing materials and recommendations for any additional materials for school and POE guidance. Recommendations will also be provided for audio/visual complementary guidance where needed for HCF. All existing materials will be provided by the Government and UNICEF.

Task 1: Review existing materials and usage/uptake of the materials: for accuracy, completeness and effective uptake through review of existing materials (to be provided by MOHCC/UNICEF) and key informant interviews with MOHCC, health facility staff, UNICEF and select development partners.

Task 2: Present Initial findings to the IPC Task Force for feedback

Task 3: Recommend revisions to existing materials and augment with additional written materials as is required to ensure a complete package of aligned, clear and comprehensive guidance on WASH/IPC for health facilities, POEs and schools. This will include reviewing and providing recommendations on the current IPC Policy, which is under review. Provide a Draft for review by the IPC Task Force and integrate comments in a Final package.

Task 4: Train National Master Trainers on the WASH/IPC training for environmental health staff in health facilities and schools and relevant district staff.

Task 5: Build capacity of UNICEF WASH Staff: Provide two online short sessions for UNICEF WASH Staff (and selected others) to increase UNICEF’s internal capacity on WASH/IPC, including presentation of best practices, considerations of WASH for IPC specifically, monitoring and measurement of WASH for IPC and a compendium of sources of information as evidence and guidance evolves.

Major tasks and deliverables:

Task/Milestone:****Deliverables/Outputs:****Timeline

Approximately 40 days totalReview existing materials and usage/uptake of the materialsMaterials reviewed, key informant interviews held and findings drafted and submitted (15%)Week 1-2Present Initial findings to the IPC Task ForcePresentation of findings, Comprehensive feedback elicited (10%)Week 2-4Recommend revisions to existing materials and augment with additional written materials – draft and finalDraft revised and augmented COVID-19 WASH/IPC guidance and training package for health facilities, POEs and schools (35%)

Final guidance and training package for health facilities, POEs and schoolsWeek 3-9

Payment – 60%

Week 10-12Train National Master Trainers (logisitics to be provided by MOHCC and UNICEF)One one-week training for 30 people is delivered (15%)Week 12-15Train UNICEF WASH StaffTwo short sessions are delivered

(10%)Week 12-15

Finalize materials and recommendations, report on trainingFinal Report comprising all materials and recommendations submitted (15%)Week 12-15

*Payment – 40%***To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…**

• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in science or social science.
• A minimum of ten years of professional experience gained with Government, NGOs or international organizations working in in WASH and considerable time spent working in developing countries.
• Demonstrated experience of with WASH services during public health emergencies, notably in health facilities.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with clinical health experts to ensure adequate integration of WASH and clinical IPC
• Demonstrated experience in drafting SOPs, guidance and training materials
• Experience facilitating consultations and building stakeholder buy-in from a broad set of actors as well as delivering training
• Excellent communication, presentation and writing skills, and experience preparing and delivering workshops.
• Highly proficient in use of English with the ability to write in a clear and practical manner.
• Familiarity with UNICEF mission, mandate and WASH programme is desirable.

If interested and available to undertake the individual consultancy, please submit your application online and attach the required documents including the technical proposal and an all-inclusive financial proposal incorporating an approximate number of travel days based on your proposal. The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link; TOR Individual Consultancy COVID WASH-IPC Consultancy.pdf

The technical proposal should be 4-5 page long giving the proposed methodology and approach for carrying out the assignment; detailing specific experience with similar assignments in size, complexity and context. The number of days per deliverable and number of days/general schedule should also be proposed. (The number of days reflected in the TOR are indicative only. The consultant will propose the level of effort and will be responsible for delivering the results within the final agreed cost. Days are only intended to guide the common understanding of the assignment and likely time required.

Financial proposal should be based on the proposed number of days per deliverable and days in the field, # of trips, etc. In-country presence is possible or a mix of in-country and remote is also possible, given the current fragile and evolvingCOVID-19 situation.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.